


Coping

by sodakooh



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Amputation, Amputee Runaan, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sunfire Elf Tinker, also pet names? fuck yeah., no beta we die like men, phantom pains, sir that's my emotional support lgbt couple with zero canon content, tinker is a good fiancee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 21:32:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18039428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sodakooh/pseuds/sodakooh
Summary: Runaan knows no matter how dark his mind is, his ray of sunshine will always be there to sooth him.





	Coping

**Author's Note:**

> they're in love
> 
> **this was written post season 2, so not much is known about the possible relationship between tinker and runaan

Tinker wiped the sleep from his eyes and the sweat off his temples, putting away the last of his materials and tools that lay scattered all around his workstation. He’d lost track of time at some point during the day, but knew it must’ve been at least past midnight.

 

The sunfire elf wiped the grease off of his hands and took the last three out of two dozen intricate swords off the counter. After so many sleepless weeks, he’d finally finished; it had been a commission with an  _ insane _ deadline. Not only that, but the commissioner had come to check up on Tinker’s work, only to tell him it wasn’t like how he wanted it.

 

All of the missing hours of sleep seemed to come crashing down on Tinker as soon as his brain realized it didn’t have to work on the swords anymore. It took all of Tinker’s strength not to simply collapse into the makeshift bed in the back; he knew that he had his special someone asleep at home, and TInker was desperate to get back to him.

 

Tinker locked up once stepping out and began the short journey home. He glanced up at the sky and sighed; it seemed to be sometime around 2 in the morning.

 

<Runaan’s a deep sleeper,> Tinker thought to himself. <He won’t even hear me come back in.>

 

Unfortunately, Tinker stumbled into the house unceremoniously, tripping on his own feet. He didn’t make much noise other than his body hitting the ground with a soft thud, but what triggered him to get back up so quickly wasn’t the pain shooting up his arm.

 

It was the sound of Runaan grunting in agony.

 

Tinker practically bolted into the bedroom, expecting to see a group of humans with their swords jabbed into the elf’s chest but rather seeing Runaan alone in the bed. His hand clutched at the sheets and his forehead was covered in sweat, a few strands of hair sticking to it. He looked like he was in a  _ tremendous _ amount of pain, breaths coming out in quick, shallow pants.

 

Tinker didn’t hesitate to move closer to Runaan, gently shaking his shoulder. He’d seen Runaan like this often enough to know he always wanted to be woken up as soon as possible.

 

“Runaan, wake up,” he said, voice somewhere in between stern and gentle. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

 

Runaan shot up, eyes still full of fear and panic. It took a moment for his gaze to focus on Tinker, and all the while Tinker gently stroked his hair.

 

“Tinker…” Runaan mumbled, voice hoarse and trembling.

 

The elf felt his heart clench painfully at the sight of Runaan like this, but he still mustered up his best smile. “It’s me. You’re safe, Runaan.”

 

Runaan collapsed onto Tinker’s shoulder, using his hand to wrap around him and cling onto him like a lifeline. Tinker did the same, alternating between rubbing soothing circles into Runaan’s back or gently stroking his hair, untangling some of the smaller knots.

 

Runaan trembled slightly, but he didn’t cry; he rarely did. In the beginning of their friendship, Tinker noticed how Runaan swallowed down powerful emotions and hid behind walls. Even all these years and a giddy confession later, Tinker was one of the few people in all of Xadia who had seen the sight behind the walls.

 

Tinker found it beautiful.

 

“Breathe with me,” He insisted gently. He took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Typically, it took a few minutes for Runaan to calm down enough to stay at the same pace as Tinker. Whether it took two or twenty, Tinker always supported him and kept him grounded.

 

“That’s it,” Tinker cooed, feeling the other’s breathing slow down. “Nice, deep breaths.”

 

The two of them simply stayed there, Runaan listening to Tinker’s murmurs of sweet nothings and praise. It did take a while before Runaan pulled away, Tinker’s eyelids having become heavier during those minutes.

 

“I’m--”

 

“Don’t apologize,” Tinker cut him off, putting a hand over Runaan’s mouth. Runaan looked down at the hand (or as far as he could), then looked back up at Tinker with furrowed brows. Tinker smiled, and removed his hands.

 

“Do you feel comfortable talking about it?” Tinker asked, running a hand through the pearly strands of hair.

 

Runaan hesitated for a moment--the wall threatening to rise again--before nodding yes. “I was… back with the humans. I was chained to the wall and had to watch my team get killed right in front of me, but it was as though… with each arrow that flew into them or every blade that pierced their skin, the band tightened more and more around my arm until--”

 

The moonshadow elf had unconsciously begun rubbing at what remained of his left arm. Tinker gently placed his hand over Runaan’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He put his free hand on Runaan’s chest, easing him to lie back down on the bed. Tinker began rubbing at the muscles gently in the way he knew Runaan liked.

 

“Is that better?” Tinker whispered after a few moments, noticing how his fianc é’s eyes had already begun fluttering shut. The response he got was a gentle hum, and Tinker couldn’t help but be amused. Tinker settled into bed next to Runaan, determined to keep his ministrations going until Runaan fell back asleep, however he seemed to have other plans.

 

Runaan had turned onto his side, wrapping his right arm around Tinker and pulling him close. Tinker let out a small laugh before mimicking the action, then pressing a soft kiss to Runaan’s forehead.

 

“Goodnight, Moonshine.”

**Author's Note:**

> #LetTinkerSleep2019


End file.
